2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV RS AWD - Review by Bruce Hotchkiss

Talking about the good and the bad

Bruce Hotchkiss

By Bruce Hotchkiss
Special Correspondent, Western Bureau
THE AUTO CHANNEL

I have to admit the 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV RS AWD is a good-looking vehicle. Chevy has outdone themselves. It drove well too. And it was comfortable.

The Blazer EV is actually a fairly large SUV. It is 192.2" long on a wheelbase of 121.8 inches. An old K5 Blazer, based on a full-size pickup, was at a minimum 177.5" long on a wheelbase of 104 inches. The biggest difference in my opinion (besides being an EV) is that the current Blazer EV is more car-like.

Yes, the interior is monochromatic. I really don't care. It looked good and the seats, at least for four people, were comfortable. There is up to 59.8 cubic feet of storage. The AWD version (as tested) can tow up to 1,500 lbs., the 2WD version ups that to 3,500 lbs.

The controls were fairly straightforward. Yes, like just about every new vehicle there are too many buttons, but all in all I had very little trouble with them. I didn't like the way the seat heater automatically reduced the setting, but I guess that's how GM does it.

One feature on new cars that I tend to use on the highway is the smart cruise control. Set the speed and the computer automatically adjusts for the speed of a vehicle in front of you. If traffic comes to a stop so do you. But I never fully trust these systems. My right foot is always ready to hit the brake pedal. One thing I never imagined would be a problem is the vehicle braking when it didn't need to but it happens. In fact, with two different GM vehicles, it has happened; once in a full-size pickup a couple of years ago, and once in the Blazer EV. I'm not sure but I think the Blazer "saw" a shadow on the road and took it for an obstacle. All I know is the brakes slammed on, and then they released. This does not give me confidence in autonomous vehicles.

Being an EV means always thinking about how far you can drive on a charge, and where you can charge up. The Blazer EV AWD has a range of 279 miles according to EPA. I have driven a fair number of EVs and some, the best of the bunch, are fairly true to their rating. I didn't find that with the Blazer EV. There are two "odometers" on the Blazer EV, the normal one that shows how far you've gone, and how many miles left in the battery. They did not match. One mile driven seemed to equal 1.5 miles of charge used. That would drop the range down below 200 miles.

Some of you older folks may remember cars of the '50s and '60s and their hidden fuel fillers. Some were hidden behind license plates, others behind tail-lights. Well the charging port of the Blazer EV is hidden - I had to get out the manual to find it.

In this close-up of the panel (shown above) you see two little lines. Just push there and the whole panel folds out and down.

All I can say is "why?" That is a big panel to open for a small charge port. Chevrolet says it's easy to open and close. "The charge door is electrically powered, so you only need to press the button to close it." "When you start driving, the door will automatically close." I pushed the button and the door did not close so I pushed the door into place but I guess it didn't latch. It did not automatically close, in fact, there was a warning that the door was not shut.

It seems to me that the charge door was overly complicated and I have no idea why. Who are they trying to impress? Every other EV I've driven had a small door like a fuel filler door. Easy peasy.

In my opinion, Chevrolet has ruined a good-looking vehicle with silly touches. Just keep it simple. I kept thinking how good the Chevrolet Blazer EV could be, and should be.

Base price of the 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV RS AWD is $52,900. The test version had $8,034 in options, and a destination charge of $1,395 for a total of $62,329. If you have to have an EV I think there are better choices.

I almost forgot the taillights that mimic Tesla logo (at least to me).